Spring 2026

At Your Service

The back pantry makes a beautiful impression, staged in an arched opening with brick tile in sage. It makes the perfect coffee station next to a small sink for easy cleanup.
Kitchen + Bath

From mess control to entertaining ease, modern butler’s pantries earn their keep.

Words
Lisa Waterman Gray
@lwgtravels

Photos
Josie Benefield
@josiedell_photo

 

First Project

Designer
Tran + Thomas Design Studio
@tranthomasdesign

Builder
Starr Homes
@starrhomes

 

Second Project

Builder
Bickimer Homes
@bickimer_homes

B

utler’s pantries are having a moment in new and remodeled homes across the metro, especially among homes valued at $1 million or more. Reminiscent of a time when back-of-house staff were commonplace, today’s transitional butler’s pantry serves as a staging area for food and dishes as well as for entertaining.

These workhorses of the home—which often flank kitchens—may include ample space for serving pieces and dishware, as well as for wine and linen storage. Dishwashers, microwaves, and even ovens may also be found in butler’s pantries, alongside prep surfaces. In most cases, the pantry harmonizes visually with the adjacent kitchen.

“[It’s about] cleanliness and presentation with guests, in relation to the kitchen,” says Jill Tran with Tran + Thomas Design Studio.

Kristen Kanatzar with Bickimer Homes agrees: “A big thing [about having a butler’s pantry] is the mess control when you’re entertaining. A lot of people like it for extra storage and kitchen appliances. Many people will include sinks. It really increases new-home value, too.”

When Tran designs kitchens and pantries, she likes to add an appliance closet and a work surface. Having one oven in the butler’s pantry—which the homeowner can easily open and shut while turning around in the space without bumping into things—can also be extremely helpful.

Size can vary, but Tran recommends dimensions that are one-third to one-half the size of the kitchen. “It creates a workhorse and ‘little brother’ to the kitchen,” she explains.

A brass fixture and classic black-and-white flooring elevate the bar area in a limited space with many functions. “The trick was to place the bar where it could be a feature from the great room, adjacent from the dining room, and brought up to a scale so it could stand on its own and serve guests easily,” Tran explains.
Open storage units flank the range wall, while double ovens and additional prep space are tucked away on the back wall. “The additional shelving details, on both entrances to the butler’s pantry, give the homeowners a beautiful place to display photos and accessories of all sizes, while looking clean and organized,” Tran says.
The clients had a very clear vision of the look of their new, custom home: peaceful and beautiful, while being organized and happy. The colors were to be warm, soft, and natural, yet they also loved the impact of black and white. Most importantly, they wanted to be able to entertain often and tidy up from chef duties quickly.
An entire wall of cabinets in the butler’s pantry, opposite the sink, were designed to open on top to expose another prep surface for cooking. When needed, this design detail then allows for the cabinets to be closed and hide the mess for immediate entertaining.

Real Life Example: An Influential Impression

An exterior door floods the butler’s pantry with natural light at the Andersen family’s custom home. Tall glass-and-brass shelves flank wood base cabinets and adjacent cupboards, as well as nearby display shelves. A stove is opposite the floor-to-ceiling cabinets.

“When you walk in from the garage, you’re walking into something beautiful,” Tran says.

Client Mallory Andersen had seen butler’s pantries popping up in homes all over the city just as the couple began designing the home. She wanted to incorporate one for frequently hosting gatherings. “I like to prep in the back and not have to worry so much about the mess I’m creating,” she says. “As you’re hosting, the ‘flow’ is so much easier.”

Andersen can work in her butler’s pantry and then close it up, making it disappear behind closed doors.

She also appreciates individual design elements in this space. As an influencer
(@mallorychristineandersen), she has specific tastes.

“I had a design in mind—a tile I wanted and the brass hardware,” she says. “Tran + Thomas worked great with me, including completely custom-designed floor-to-ceiling cabinets.” One cabinet even houses a step stool, providing easy access to the upper cabinets.

Tran enjoys a butler’s pantry in her own home, too: “Mine is a highly functioning space—it’s where the microwave is, the water filtration system, a beverage fridge, and a refrigerator that can hold leftovers. The pantry is secondary but still extraordinarily highly functioning.”
The back pantry makes a beautiful impression, staged in an arched opening with brick tile in sage. It makes the perfect coffee station next to a small sink for easy cleanup.
A wall of cabinets delivers much-needed storage space for today’s kitchens, mixing in some glass fronts for displaying meaningful items.
To the left of the coffee station, a mudroom addresses many family needs, with a drop zone, desk space, lockers, and full-height storage cabinets—all while looking lovely painted in Sherwin-Williams’ Lauriston Stone.
To the left of the coffee station, a mudroom addresses many family needs, with a drop zone, desk space, lockers, and full-height storage cabinets—all while looking lovely painted in Sherwin-Williams’ Lauriston Stone.

A Role Model for Others: Turnkey Ease

Visible from the spacious kitchen of this Lenexa model home, a graceful archway hints at a powerhouse in the background. An easy-maintenance Dekton countertop provides the perfect prep space to make a cup of cappuccino. A small sink aids handwashing and coffee cleanup.

“Most of our butler’s pantries are right behind the kitchen and easily accessible,” Kanatzar says. “Lots of people also really appreciate having extra storage. Many want their microwave and possibly an oven hidden there, too. And a lot of people like having a window or a door.”

This space has all that, plus connections to other new-home favorites—a mudroom and pocket office.

Adjacent space to the right leads to the rear exit. A long countertop invites food prep and staging, while base cabinet drawers offer additional storage. Appliances include a beverage refrigerator and an under-counter microwave.

To the left, floor-to-ceiling cabinetry provides ample storage for food and glassware, as well as for larger serving pieces. A desk by the garage entry makes a handy drop zone for receipts and mail, while clutter-causing coats and bags can be hidden out of sight in the built-in lockers. 

Good lighting can come from utilitarian cans or from high-end flush-mount fixtures. Flooring should be considered for the heavy traffic the area will sustain: Bickimer Homes uses pre-engineered hardwood in most of their model homes, which seems to hold up better to local humidity levels than hardwood floors do.

“Some homeowners may go with a tile floor instead,” Kanatzar says.

Not only are today’s butler’s pantries high-functioning, but they are also visually stunning. Tile designs and lighting can make the area inviting to spend time in. This one features colorful ceramic tile with floating shelves, and vertical shiplap with hanging display surfaces.

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